Pipe puller



Sept..16, 1947. N, T, BREAUX 2,427,438

Y PIPE FULLER Filed July 10, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 16, 1947. N. T.BREAUX 2,427,438

PIPE FULLER Filed Jdl 10, 1945 2 Sheecs-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 16, 1947UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE PULLER Niel T. Breaux, Houston, Tex.

Application July 10, 1945, Serial No. 604,229

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a pipe puller.

An object of the invention is to provide a pulling tool of the characterdescribed, of the overshot type, designed to be lowered, by an operatingstring, over a, pipe, or similar object, in a well and to be engagedtherewith to pull the same from the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the characterdescribed embodying a novel type of pipe engaging means arranged to beengaged, at the will of the operator, underneath an external coupling,or other external projection, on the pipe or other object to be pulled.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a toolwherein said pipe engaging means may be readily released, when desiredso that the tool may be disengaged from the pipe and removed.

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation andarrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view of the tool as set, or inposition to be engaged with a pipe.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view showing the tool engaged with thepipe, and the operating string under tension.

Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view showing the tool in disengagedand released position.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a lower end view of the frictionslip cage, as viewed on theline 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a top plan View of the ball carrier as viewed on the line6-6 of Figure 1, and showing the pipe engaging balls in set up position,and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary, top plan view thereof showing said balls inposition to engage underneath a pipe coupling.

Referring now more particularly to the draw ings. wherein like numeralsof reference designate the same parts in each of the figures, thenumeral l designates the tubular body which is connected to the lowerend of a tubular operating string 2 by a tubu1ar coupling, such as 3.

The lower end of the body is, preferably, provided with a flared guideface 4 to guide the tool over the upper end of the stuck pipe and, abovesaid face, is provided with an inside annular shoulder 5 whereon isseated a sleeve-like stop 5. fitted closely within the body, and withinsaid stop there is a coil spring 1 which is also seated 2 on theshoulder 5 and normally extends above the stop 6.

The-spring l yieldingly supports the tubular elevator 8, which isslidably fitted in the body I, and which is held against turning thereinby the key 9. This key is anchored to the body I and its inner endprojects into a vertical key way I0 in the elevator. Projecting.upwardly from the upper end of the elevator are the elevator pins I iwhich are spaced apart and whose upper ends are held yieldingly againstthe lower end of the tubular carrier l2. This carrier is slidably fittedin the body I and above it, and also slidably fitted in the body I,there is a tubular slip-cage [3. The carrier l2, and cage 13 are madeseparate for convenience in manufacture and assembly but when assembledmay be tack welded together.

When the tool is set for going into the well, the coil spring I will beunder compression and the assembly above will be in its upper position,as shown in Figure 1, with the upper end of the slipcage is against thelower end of the coupling 3.

The carrier l2 has the vertical bores 14 whose lower ends are enlargedto receive the pins ll.

" These bores are spaced apart to correspond to the spacing of saidpins. In the bores M are the slidable plungers l5 whose upper ends areformed with the enlarged heads l6 and the upper ends of the bores areenlarged to receive those heads and to allow the required verticalmovement of the plungers.

The upper end of the carrier I2 is beveled downwardly and inwardlyforming the annular concaved face i! and the upper ends of the heads arecorrespondingly beveled and concaved. The plungers !5 are keyed againstturning, so as to maintain their upper beveled faces aligned with thebeveled face [1, by the radial keys I8 which are threaded through thewall of the carrier and whose inner ends project into the verticalkeyways [9 in the plungers.

When the tool is set for operation, as shown in Figure 1, the plungerswill be in their lower position with their heads at the lower ends ofthe enlarged upper ends of the bores M.

The numeral 20 designates the interlocking balls which are located inthe upper ends of the bores M on the heads l6, as shown in Figures 1 and6.

Within an inside annular recess l3a of the cage !3 are fraction slips2!, arcuate in cross section, three being shown. Screwed into the upperend of the cage ther is a ring nut 22 having an inner dependingretaining flange 23 and at the lower end of the recess [So there is aninside upstand.

ing flange 24 and the upper and lower ends of the slips engage against,and the slips are retained by, said flanges 23 and 24. These slips areseated against the pressure springs 25, between them and the cage andare thereby held yieldingly in the inner, or contracted, position, asshown in Figure 1. The inner sides of the slips 2| have transverse teeth26, provided to penetrate through any coating of foreign matter that mayhave collected on the outside of the coupling 27 of the pipe 28, to bepulled, and to frictionally engage said coupling.

The tool assembled as hereinabove explained, and as shown in Figure 1,may be lowered into a well and the guide face 4 will guide it over thestuck pipe 28. When an external coupling, as 21, or an upset end of apipe section, is reached the cage l3 will pass over the coupling, orupset end, and the slips 2| willfrictionally grip it. The tool should belowered until the balls 20 are beneath the lower end of the coupling, orupset portion, and then turned slowly to the left until the pins I!register with the bores It. During this turning movement the slip-cageand carrier will be held against turning by the friction slips 2!. It isto be noted in this connection that the lower end of this cage l3 has aninside, upwardly and inwardly beveled face 29 which is concaved in crosssection and which has a series of concaved recesses 33 aligned above thebores of the carrier.

When the pins H register with the bores l4 they will be forcedupwardlyby the spring 1 and, in turn, will force the plungers l5 upwardly andthe balls 20 will be forced upwardly by the tapering faces of theplunger heads I6 and by reason of the recesses 33 will not hang on thelower end of the cage but will be forced inwardly against the pipe 28under the coupling 21. As the body of the tool is now turned to theright the ball carrier l2 will be turned with it since said carrier isnow interlocked with the elevator by the pins H and as the carrier turnsthe balls 20 will lag, relative to it, by'reasonof their frictionalcontact with the pipe 28, the slipsZl slipping around the coupling orupset portion of pipe 28. However, the face ll of the carrier isprovided with spaced stops 3| behind the respective plungers and thesestops will limit the lag of the balls.

The tool may be now pulled upwardly by suit- F able equipment at theground surface connected to the string 2, and the stuck pipe thus pulledfrom the well. During this upward pull the spring 1 will be protectedfrom the full load by the engagement of the stop I with the lower end ofelevator 8. If the stuck pipe cannot be dislodged and removed it is thennecessary to release the tool from the pipe coupling and remove it fromthe well. In order to do this the upper end of the carrier I 2 isprovided with th release ways 32 leading downwardly and outwardly fromthe face I and spaced forwardly of the respective plungers, and thelower end of the cage 53 has the series of concaved recesses 30 oppositesaid ways. Therefore upon rotation of the body I to the left the balls29 will roll around the groove formed by the faces I1, 29 until therecesses 30 register with them and thereupon the balls will fall intosaid release ways 32 out against the body I and clear of the coupling21. The tool may then be removed from the well.

What I claim is:

1. A tool for pulling pipe comprising, a tubular body adapted to beconnected to an operating string of pipe and shaped to telescope over apipe to be pulled in a well, a tubular gripping device in the bodyadapted to grip a coupling of the pipe to be pulled, a tubular ballcarrier in the body beneath said gripping device, a series of balls onthe carrier, means retaining the balls in outer, or inactive, position,plungers in the carrier beneath the balls, a tubular elevator in thebody beneath the ball carrier and having plunger actuating pins, ayieldable member inthebodyon which the elevator is supported andnormally holding said pins in yielding contact with the carrier, saidpins being spaced to engage and elevate the plungers, upon rotation ofthe body whereby said balls will be elevated and means for moving theballs inwardly into engagement with the pipe to be pulled and underneathsaid coupling upon suchelevation of the balls.

2. A tool for pulling pipe comprising, a tubular body adapted to beconnected to an operating string of pipe and shaped to telescope over apipe to be pulled in a well, a tubular gripping device in the bodyadapted to grip a coupling of the pipe to be pulled, a tubular ballcarrier in the body beneath said gripping device, a series of balls onthe carrier, means retaining the balls in outer, or inactive, position,plungers in the carrier beneath the balls, a tubular elevator in thebody beneath the ball carrier and having plunger actuating pins, ayieldable member in the body on which the elevator is supported andnormally holding said-pins in yielding contact with the carrier, saidpins being spaced to engage and elevate the plungers, upon rotation ofvthe body whereby said balls will be elevated, means for moving the ballsinwardly into engagement with the pipe to be pulled and underneath saidcoupling upon such elevation of the balls, said tool having ballreceiving ways through which the balls may be released from suchengagement upon a subsequent rotation of the body.

3. A tool for pulling pipe from a Well comprising, a tubular body, atubular operating string to the lower end of which the body isconnected, tubular gripping means in the body adapted to grip a couplingof said pipe, a tubular ball carrier in the body beneath said grippingmeans and having ball retainers therein, balls in said retainer, meansfor elevating theballs, means in the body arranged to actuate theelevating means, upon rotation of the body, to force the balls upwardlyand means in the tool to force the balls inwardly into engagement withthe pipe underneath said collar, upon elevation of saidtballs.

4. A tool for pullingpipe stuck inawell comprising, a tubular bodyshaped to telescope over said pipe, a tubular operating string to thelower end of which the body is connected, a tubular carrier in the body,pipe engaging ballsmounted in the carrier and retained thereby outtofcontact with the pipe, elevating means effective, upon rotation of thebody, to elevate said balls. and means arranged to co-act with saidballs, as the same are elevated, to force themlinwardly into contactwith the pipe.

5. A tool for pullingpipe from a well comprising, a tubular body shapedto telescope over a pipe in a well, a tubular operating string to thelower end of which the body is connected, a tubular gripping means inthe. body adapted to grip an enlargement on said pipe, a tubular ballcarrier in the body beneath said gripping meansbut connected thereto andhaving ball retainers therein, balls in said retainers, means forelevatate the elevating means, upon rotation of the '5 body, to forcethe walls upwardly, means in the tool to force the balls inwardly intoengagement with the pipe underneath said enlargement, upon elevation ofsaid balls, said carrier having release Ways to allow release of theballs from the pipe upon a subsequent rotation of the body.

6. A tool for pulling pipe stuck in a, well comprising, a tubular bodyshaped to telescope over said pipe, a tubular operating string to thelower end of which the body is connected, a tubular carrier in the body,pipe engaging balls mounted in the carrier and retained thereby out ofcontact with the pipe, elevating means effective, upon rotation of thebody, to elevate said balls, means arranged to co-act with said balls,as the same are elevated, to force them inwardly into contact with thepipe and means for releasing said balls from the pipe upon a subsequentrotation of the body.

7. A tool for pulling pipe from a, well comprising, a tubular bodyshaped to telescope over a pipe in a well, a tubular operating string tothe lower end of which the body is connected, tubular gripping means inthe body adapted to grip a cou- 6 pling of said pipe, a tubular ballcarrier in the body beneath said gripping means and having ballretainers therein, balls in said retainers, means for elevating theballs, means in the body arranged to actuate the elevating means uponrotation of the body, to force the balls upwardly and to clutch thecarrier with the body, means in the tool to force the balls inwardlyinto engagement with the pipe underneath said collar, upon elevation ofsaid balls, said carrier having release ways to allow release of theballs from the pipe upon rotation of the body.

NIEL T. BREAUX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,582,094 Conrey May 4, 19261,808,009 Scott June 2, 1931 1,829,760 Santiago Nov. 3, 1931 2,218,337Mallory Oct. 15, 1940

